Patent GB-660586-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to machines for washing, sterilising or like treatment of bottles or like containers
Inventor: WEBSTER ALEXANDER HYDE
IPC: B08B9/44
Filed: 1948-08-03
Abstract: 660,586. Bottle washing machines. WEBSTER & CO., Ltd., R. W. Aug. 11, 1949 [Aug. 3, 1948], No. 20484/48. Class 138 (i) [Also in Group XXX] A machine for washing and like treatment of bottles or similar containers comprises a bottle feeding mechanism including a plurality of separate but co-operating elements, a bottle discharging mechanism including a plurality of separate but co-operating elements, a prime mover for actuating the feed and discharge mechanisms wherein separate releasable clutch means are provided between the prime mover and the feeding and discharging mechanisms, also in the individual driving connections to each separate element in the feed mechanism and to one element in the discharge mechanism wherein either the feeding and discharge mechanism may be separately isolated automatically due to faults therein or at will from the machine as a whole or the drive from the prime mover may be arrested. An electric motor 1, which drives the main endless chain conveyer carrying bottles in pockets thereon through one or more treating tanks also drives, a belt or chain 8, a normal overload slip clutch 10, shaft provided with an electromagnetic brake 19, gears 11, shaft 12, bevel gears 13, shaft 14, bevel gears 15, and a shaft 16. The shaft 16 drives a feed mechanism operating shaft 22 through a slip clutch 24 and a discharge mechanism operating shaft 28 through a slip clutch 30. The shaft 22 is provided with a feed mechanism operating cam 25 and an electromagnetic brake 23 and the shaft 28 is similarly provided with a discharge mechanism operating cam 31 and a brake 29. The feed shaft 22 drives bevel gears 32, shaft 33, bevel gears 35 and a shaft 36 which through gearing drives bottle feeding conveyers 39, 37 under a feed table 34, of which 37 runs transversely across the front of the machine and from which bottles are transferred into pockets 67, Fig. 5, on the endless chain conveyor 6, a star wheel 44 and a cam 48 controlling a check finger 46 which arrests the flow of bottles on the input conveyer 39 at intervals. Slip devices may be incorporated in the shafts 49, 50 driving the star wheel 44 and cam 48, respectively. The cam 25, Fig. 5, has a groove 57 and an external cam surface 58. The groove and external cam operate linkages connected with a push board 59, a bottle turnover carrier 61 and a feed finger 60. The linkages to the turnover carrier 61 and the feed finger 60 incorporate slip clutch 71 and 72 respectively. The push board lever is in two parts 62, 68 held in alignment by a tension spring 69 so that the two parts yield if subjected to overload. The push board 59 transfers bottles from the conveyor 37 running above a table 63 into the carriers 61 which are then tilted to align the bottles with slideways 66. The finger 60 is then reciprocated to transfer the bottles from the slides 66 into the pockets 67 of the chain conveyor 6. The discharge cam 31 which has two cam surfaces operates through linkages, pusher members 73 and erector chutes 82. The linkage to the chutes 82 incorporates a slip clutch 85 and the linkage of the pusher members 73 incorporates a relief spring 81. Bottles are ejected by the pusher members 73 into the chutes 82 which are then erected to transfer the bottles to a discharge conveyer running adjacent the chutes. The slip clutch described in the Specification is also described in Specification 660,646, [Group XXIV], and operates to disengage the drive to a mechanism in event of a fault such as a bottle blockage. The slip clutch for the drive to the star wheel 44 may be provided with means for positively locking the star wheel against motion imparted to it by the pressure of incoming bottles on the conveyor 39, when the clutch is slipping. As shown in Fig. 11 the slip clutch drives a sleeve 109 to which is keyed a bevel wheel 108 connected to the star wheel. The bevel wheel carries a disc 111 provided with an aperture 114 in which projects a pin 115 fitted on a bell crank lever 13 pivoted to the disc 111 at a point 112 diametrically opposite the aperture 114. Situated between the bevel wheel and the disc 111 is a fixed annulus 116 having spaced apertures 117. A roller on the bell crank 113 engages a cam 135 on a re-setting disc 132 of the slip clutch. When the clutch slips the disc 132 is rocked whereby the cam 135 rocks the bell crank 113, causing the pin 115 to engage in one of the holes 117 and thereby lock the bevel wheel 108. The pin 115 cannot be disengaged from the hole 117 until the slip clutch is re-set. Clearly sections of the mechanism may be isolated without affecting the remainder or the main drive of the machine. The mechanisms are interconnected by trips with the electromagnetic brakes, some of which stop the main drive of the machine and the brakes quickly bring the particular driving shafts to rest Artificial overloads can be introduced in the mechanism by manual push button controls operating the brakes which then cause clutches to slip. The re-setting of a brake will not itself allow of a particular mechanism to be driven since the slip clutch must also be re-set Similarly the re-setting of a clutch will not allow a particular mechanism to be driven until the brake is re-set. Instead of electromagnetic brakes, hydraulic, pneumatic or other mechanical brakes may be used.